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One of the things I've noticed that I find very interesting are on my recorded shows and also live shows that if you rewind back to the audio dropout point it is very often gone, not always but alot.

What model DirecTV receiver is this on?Currently there is still a problem like this with the HR24-500. This is a software problem that will be resolved with the next update coming out "soon".Those that are always at the same place, are from the SAT feed, but any that don't repeat, have to do with the receiver & software.

One of the things I've noticed that I find very interesting are on my recorded shows and also live shows that if you rewind back to the audio dropout point it is very often gone, not always but alot.

:welcome_s

Actually, those that disappear upon rewinding are caused by something other than the issue that is referenced in this thread. If you are having a lot of those, you might want to start a thread in the receiver forum to help you debug those.

The issue in this thread is caused by a problem in the transmission itself, and as such will reoccur in the exact spot if you rewind. Those are the ones to document in this thread.

(I don't mean to sound like I'm brushing you off. This issue here is a longstanding issue that may take even longer to be resolved by DIRECTV. Your issue will likely have a different cause, that may be easier and faster to fix, as it may be a problem with the receiver hardware, software, or installation.)

H21/100 - via HDMI to a Panasonic Plasma TH42PX50 TV, with an optical connection to a Sony AVR STR-DE845. The panel displays/changes when the Dolby signal changes. Most audio drops I hear, some I just see based on the display.

H23/600 - via HDMI to a Denon AVR 1610 then on via HDMI to a Panasonic Plasma TCP-50S1. Nothing on the display changes, I just hear the audio drops.

I notice the audio dropouts the most on USA and Syfy. Tonight, watching the Law and Order: Criminal Intent that was recorded 7/6, 10:00 pm from USAHD 242. There were several drop outs. Ran diagnostic report 20100803-3089 within a minute after hearing one of the dropouts.

If you have Dolby turned off, and use your TV speakers, the dropouts may be so short that you don't hear them.

Yes I have Dolby turned off and use the TV speakers. Cant say that Ive ever consciously listened for the dropouts, but since I saw this thread yesterday evening I have started listening closely for them and I'm just not hearing them at all. I guess I'm fortunate to not be an audiophile. I only use surround sound when watching DVD's/Blu Ray's.

Yes I have Dolby turned off and use the TV speakers. Cant say that Ive ever consciously listened for the dropouts, but since I saw this thread yesterday evening I have started listening closely for them and I'm just not hearing them at all. I guess I'm fortunate to not be an audiophile. I only use surround sound when watching DVD's/Blu Ray's.

The key here is the degree of the corrupted or missing audio bits.With Dolby off you may not hear a dropout unless it is much longer. Some have turned Dolby off and can still hear then but they are shorter than with Dolby on.Then with the different Audio Video Receivers, some will trigger on the shortest break in the Dolby encoding and others seem to trigger on longer breaks of it and pass through the short ones.Next comes how fast the Audio Video Receiver cycles through losing and regaining the Dolby decoding. Some do this in moments, while others can take seconds to cycle.

Speed (Worst offender)
SyFy, TNT, USA, LOCAL CW (OK absolute worst but similar off air), The Starz package of channels, HBO, etc. It's present with most all the HD channels and has been a constant nuisance starting just about a year back (more like 10 or 11 months I think). First noticed it when I began CE testing. Its been resident this current NR cycle.

OK I'm thinking the 0x{0||4}35* and prior firmware didn't have this issue. (I started log notations with 0x036a 10/23/09)

OH AVR is insignificant as it happens on SONY, TOSHIBA, SAMSUNG, and SHARP TVs in reduced form. AVRs however... Bose 321-GS, Yamaha(YSP-1000, RX-V2600, RX-V3800, RX-Z11) The AVRs take a bit to refresh as the signal drop pulls them out of DD5.1 to PCM and then back. (at least that is what the front panel indicators show on all of these AVRs)

Also I did not have any of these audio drop outs last year around this time. It started happening around November or so for me (give or take a couple of months). If it wasn't a software update then what was it that changed around that time? Did Directv get new equipment or start doing things differently with the signal? Was MPEG4 introduced around that time?

Also I did not have any of these audio drop outs last year around this time. It started happening around November or so for me (give or take a couple of months). If it wasn't a software update then what was it that changed around that time? Did Directv get new equipment or start doing things differently with the signal? Was MPEG4 introduced around that time?

I don't have any info on what was changed, but would guess the firmware in the encoders was changed to remove the brripps that we used to have. Now the encoders seem to be blanking the same problem.

I don't have any info on what was changed, but would guess the firmware in the encoders was changed to remove the brripps that we used to have. Now the encoders seem to be blanking the same problem.

I had to laugh the other day. I was watching speed channel, and using my Hauppauge HDPVR to watch it live. I had both the dropouts from DirecTv, and about two brrrrrrips from the mpeg4 encoder in the hauppauge. Must be something about mpeg4 that makes keeping video and audio sync really difficult.

OK, now we have the whole DirecTV HD channel line up listed and now maybe we can move on to more productive posts.

Someone asked if I had any updates and I said I had sent a message but not heard a reply.

Today's reply in part:

Actually I have been following the thread all along and you've been handling it great even after getting harassed here and there. The issue does have a great deal of attention internally and work is being done on certain sources / markets to clean things up. However some programs or live events will still have bad Dolby packets coming into us.

Your thoughts on the subject of if it's a box issue are correct. The problem was not introduced in a download back in November as so many insist it was. We are still looking into the HR24 though. Drives failing and signal issues can result in audio problems but you will normally have other video / trickplay issues.

What we are very interested in is how different AVRs respond to the Dolby frames since it's clear there's differences. So if you can just ask them what make and model their AVR is that would be great.

As you can see they are reading these threads and trying to resolve the problem.

Besides the HD channels, would you all add what AVR you're using or if this is just your TV.

In this case you might try turning off Dolby in the receivers and just sending PCM to the TV. It might now stop all of them but they might not be as noticeable.

Dolby has never been turned on on any of my recievers Dolby is always OFF This has always been a Directv MPEG4 Encoding issue and they never have seemed to want to or try to fix it.Its been this way Since D10 back in 07 and just gets worse as the years go on.

The CW5HD Ch.5 Roanoke/Lynchburg Va. DMA this station has always had audio dropouts on SD programming only but is fine during HD Programming.It has had audio dropouts every 2 mins for over a year when Local HD's were added on July,29,2009.Dont expect for this to ever be fixed.